Child&#39;s drinking tube



June 19, 1951 A. G. BUTSCH CHILDS DRINKING TUBE Filed March 12, 1947Inventor:

Alfred G. Butsch,

His Attovneg Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATES FATE'LN'E' OFFICECHILDS DRINKING TUBE Alfred G. Butsch, Erie, Pa.

Application March 12, 1947, Serial No. 734,179

Claims. 1

My invention relates to drinking tubes and particularly to animprovement in drinking tubes for children.

Most children at one time or another refuse to drink certain liquidsessential to their health. The reason behind such refusal may be a merewhim or the suggestion from another childs refusal to drink. Drinkingtubes have been made heretofore which helped to overcome a childsrefusal to drink by attracting the childs interest to the passage of theliquid through a transparent tube a portion of which passed across hisfield of vision.

It is an object of my invention to provide a childs drinking tubeincluding an improved arrangement for attracting the childs interest inthe passage of the liquid through the tube during drinking.

It is another object of my invention to provide a childs drinking tubeof the type for exciting interest in the act of drinking and which whichcharacterizev my invention will be pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a drinkingtube embodying my invention and immersed in a glass of liquid to bedrunk; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2*? of Fig. 1;Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View of another portion of the tube ofFig. l; and Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a modifiedform of my invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the drinking tube shown in Fig. 1comprises a straight portion 5, an extended or circuitous portion 6, anda transverse mouthpiece I hinged to the portion 6 by a joint 8. Whilethe tube may be constructed of glass or similar material, I prefer toemploy a non-breakable or non-shatterable material. Sev eral suitableplastics having the required characteristics are available. The severalportions of the tube in Fig. 1 are constructed of relatively rigidplastic. In order to use the tube for drinking it is placed in a glassor other drinking vessel 9 with the straight portion 5 immersed in theliquid in the glass. When the liquid is drawn through the tube it flowsin a circuitous path through the portion 6 and this attracts the usersattention.

which give sufficiently for the purpose.

During the initial passage of the liquid through the portion 6 each timethe user sucks it upwardly, one or two slugs of liquid separated by airserve to attract attention. However, when the liquid is drawn upsteadily there is no break in the liquid column and little evidence ofmovement may be presented.

I have found that by providing a small hole ill in the tube above thenormal level of the liquid as indicated at l I a stream of small bubblesis introduced in the flowing liquid. These bubbles provide a continuousindication of motion and enhance the attractiveness of the tube to achild using it. The effectiveness of the tube in inducing a child todrink is thus increased.

In order that the mouthpiece I may be located so as tobring thecircuitous portion of the tube effectively within the normal field ofvision of the user, the mouthpiece is formed with its ends l2 at rightangles to the main portion thereof. This end I2 is retained in the joint8 by an enlarged section 13 clearly shown in Fig. 3. The section is ispressed into the end of the joint 8 the walls of The joint thus formedallows the mouthpiece to be rotated in a plane transverse to that of thecircuitous portion 6.

In the modification of my invention illustrated in Fig. 4, a singlelength of flexible transparent tubing I4 is employed instead of themolded tube of Fig. 1. In order to hold the flexible tube M and providea circuitous portion corresponding to the portion 6 of Figure 1, a wirerack I5 is removably attached to a glass II! by hooks l7 and I 8 formedin the wire and connected by an arouate portion 19 of the wire. The wireextends upwardly in zig-zag form and is provided with a plurality ofloops 2!] in which the tube l4 may be secured. A hook 21 is formed inthe top end of the wire above the middle of the zig-zag portion andholds the end of the tube so that it may extend transversely to thezig-zag portion in the same manner as the mouthpiece 1 of Fig. 1. Thetube M is provided with a small opening 22 corresponding to the openingll! of the tube of Fig. 1 to admit bubbles to the flowing liquid whenthe tube is in use.

The flexible tube 14 may be. removed easily from the wire rack forcleaning. Furthermore, the tube may be rearranged so that the circuitousportion lies in a different configuration from that illustrated; thusdifierent shapes of the circuitous portion may be selected at will.

The air inlet openings in the tubes illustrated are located above thetop or normal full level of liquid in the glass; obviously, however, theopenings may be placed lower down on the tubes so that they lieinitially below the surface of the liquid. Such location of the openingsrequires that the child drink a certain amount of liquid before thebubble eflect is obtained; in some cases this may prove an additionalinducement to drinking the liquid.

From the foregoing, it is readily apparent that I have provided a simpleand effective arrangement for increasing the attractiveness to childrenof a drinking tube for inducing children to drink liquid which theyotherwise mightrefuse for various reasons.

While I have illustrated specific forms of my invention othermodifications will readily be apparent to those skilled in the art. I donot therefore, desire my invention to be limited to the embodimentsshown and described and I intend by the appended claims to cover allmodifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. An elongated drinking tube for children comprising a transparentportion bent to provide an extended circuitous passage extending withinthe field of vision of the user whereby the users attention will beattracted by the flow of liquid through said portion, and said tubebeing provided with a small opening in its wall for the admission of airto said portion during the use of the tube, the opening in said tubebeing sufliciently restricted to afford the admission of air bubbles tothe liquid flowing through the tube without interruption of the flow ofliquid whereby the passage of air bubbles through said portion enhancesthe attractiveness of said tube to the user.

2. A drinking tube for children comprising a straight portion adapted tobe immersed in the liquid to be drunk and a transparent portion bent toprovide an extended circuitous passage within the field of vision of theuser whereby the users attention will be attracted by the flow of liquidthrough said transparent portion, and said tube being provided with asmall opening in the upper part of said straight portion for admittingbubbles of air to the tube during use, the opening in said tube beingsufliciently restricted to aiford the admission of air bubbles to theliquid flowing through the tube without interruption of the flow ofliquid whereby said bubbles on passing through said transparent portionenhance the attractiveness of said tube to the user.

3. An elongated drinking tube for children comprising a transparentportion bent to provide an extended circuitous passage extending withinthe field of vision of the user whereby the users attention will beattracted by the flow of liquid through said portion, and said tubebeing provided with a small opening in its wall for the admission of airto said portion during the use of the tube, the opening in said tubebeing suificiently restricted to afiord the admission of air bubbles tothe liquid flowing through the tube Without interruption of the flow ofliquid whereby the passage of air bubbles through said portion enhancesthe attractiveness of said tube to the user, and a rack adapted to besecured to a drinking vessel for supporting said tube in position onsaid drinking vessel.

4. An elongated drinking tube for children comprising a transparentportion bent to provide an extended circuitous passage extending withinthe field of vision of the user whereby the users attention will beattracted by the flow of liquid through said portion, said tube beinprovided with a small opening in its wall for the admission of air tosaid portion during the use of the tube, the opening in said tube beingsufliciently restricted to afford the admission of air bubbles to theliquid flowing through the tube without interruption of the flow ofliquid whereby the passage of air bubbles through said portion enhancesthe attractiveness of said tube to the user, and a rigid end portionextendin transversely away from said transparent portion and adjustablyconnected thereto for selectively positioning the users end of said tubewith respect to said passage.

5. An elongated drinking tube for children comprising a transparentportion bent to provide an extended circuitous passage extending withinthe field of vision of the user whereby the users attention will beattracted by the flow of liquid through said portion, said tube beingprovided with a small opening in its wall for the admission of air tosaid portion during the use of the tube, the opening in said tube beingsufficiently restricted to afford the admission of air bubbles to theliquid flowing through the tube without interruption of the flow ofliquid whereby the passage of air bubbles through said portion enhancesthe attractiveness of said tube to the user, and a substantiallystraight end portion extending transversely away from said transparentportion and being angularly movable with respect thereto in asubstantially upright plane for selectively positioning the users end ofsaid tube with respect to said circuitous passage.

ALFRED G. BUTSCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 103,300 Chapin May 24, 1870455,452 Murray July 7, 1891 659,669 Hayes Oct. 16, 1900 1,155,262 MockSept. 28, 1915 2,063,803 Gildersleeve Dec. 8, 1936 2,160,474 Jones etal. May 30, 1939 2,435,033 Campbell Jan. 27, 1948

